This invention relates to dynamoelectric machines, and in particular, to a means and method of securing a customer part, such as an impeller blade, to a shaft of the dynamoelectric machine. While the invention is disclosed in detail with respect to the application to electric motors, those skilled in the art will recognize the wider applicability of the inventive principles disclosed hereinafter.
Electric motors in the form of AC or DC machines, broadly termed dynamoelectric machines, include a shell which houses a stator and a rotor which rotates in a core of the stator. The housing is closed at either end by end shields. The end shields include bearings which support a rotor shaft. The rotor shaft extends axially from either end of the rotor and passes through at least one of the end shields.
Motor manufacturers often provide motors which are incorporated into other products by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The OEMs incorporated the motor into the product by attaching the OEM's part, such as an impeller, gear, etc. to the rotor shaft. The shaft, however, is generally not easily accessibly within the end shield and because it rotates, it is difficult to secure the shaft against rotation to secure the part to the shaft. This can be particularly difficult if the motor location with the OEM's product is in a restricted space to begin with, making manual manipulation of the various components difficult.
One method that has been used is to insert a screw driver into the motor structure to make securing the impeller to the shaft easier. However, this may and often does damage the internal components of the motor. Such damage can go undetected until later field failures occur.